Malaysiakini: Stop Exploiting The Disabled

QUICK COMMENT: Here is our interview with Malaysiakini. We sincerely hope that Parliament House will finally get the message! And that is, stop exploiting the disabled for your own ends!

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

From Malaysiakini today

BE ASHAMED, DISABLED ACTIVIST TELLS PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

Disability activist Anthony Thanasayan has expressed shock and disappointment on comments made by Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia on rights’ group actions using the parliament lobby to garner support.

MCPX

“I’m sad and I can’t believe he has the audacity to make such remarks,” said Anthony, coordinator of Malaysians Against Discrimination of the Disabled (Madd).

On Thursday, the House speaker said the lobby is a place for parliamentarians to work and not for groups to voice their political agendas.

He also noted that all political matters should to be dealt outside the Parliament.

One event that came under fire from the speaker was the birthday celebration of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waythamoorthy's daughter W Vwaishhnnavi, 6, on May 21.

The speaker also raised concerns over the presence of Madd representatives on May 8 demanding an apology from Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali for comments targeted at wheelchair bound Karpal Singh, DAP chairperson and Bukit Gelugor MP.

Highlighting the lax security in Parliament, the speaker said he would be writing to all political party leaders to make sure certain such events are not repeated.

Responding to this, Anthony opined: “It’s despicable to say children and handicapped people are a security threat.

“What's more patronizing is to say we were used by the opposition for their own cause. If you are a decent human being, you would never resort to use other people’s weaknesses,” he said emphasising the opposition did not influence Madd’s appearance in Parliament.

“Does he think we have no brains? He should know we have more brains than him. We will not allow others to use us for their political mileage.

“They (Pakatan Rakyat) were the only ones to approach us and converse with us. Not the Barisan representatives. Parliament should give voiceless masses a chance to voice out, not reprimand us,” he added.

Other issues also raised

He stressed Parliament should hurry the amendment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2007 to include penalties against those who breach its provisions.

“Currently the act is made up of sweet words but nothing in there is effective,” he said.

Anthony also raised various other issues such as the absence of designated parking lots and lack of appropriate amenities in Parliament for disable persons.

“Parliament should be ashamed, our legislative assembly is a disgrace. The ramp used by those who are wheelchair bound is equivalent to the ones used to (deliver) goods.

“Even shopping malls have better facilities catered to the handicapped,” he said.

During the past weeks since Parliament started, civil society groups have used the august house to highlight their grouses and host various gatherings.

These include women’s rights, Malaysian Trade Union Congress and the migration working group.

End

Parliament Not Disabled-Friendly

THE FOLLOWING is a press release by PETPOSITIVE which was printed in the Letters section of The Star yesterday.

Tuesday May 20, 2008

Parliament lacks facilities for the disabled

WE ARE most delighted to learn that work to expand the car park in the Parliament compound starts this week “80 more parking lots for Parliament,” (The Star, May 19).

It seems the decision was made after the Chief Administrator of Parliament Datuk Kamaruddin Baria noticed an increase of visitors to Parliament recently.

Datuk, did you also notice that Parliament House has no disabled-friendly car parks?

About 30 of us in wheelchairs and walking aids came to Parliament recently and had a terrible time trying to park our vehicles as able-bodied drivers took up all the lots.

The usual parking bay nearest to the entrance was about 200m or more away – a nightmare for people with walking difficulties as well as those in wheelchairs.

If space is a big concern, kindly give us at least two parking lots. They must be immediately next to the entrance of Parliament House.

If there is no shelter above the cars to protect us from the elements, one should be provided. The only ramp currently available to get into Parliament looks more like a goods ramp. It is steep and dangerous.

And while we are on the subject, there are also no disabled-friendly toilets in Parliament.

Not only did we feel outraged by this during our visit but it also made us extremely sad and embarrassed.

Has it occurred to you that we could very well be one of the few, or even the only Parliament House in the world that does not care to have any disabled-friendly features?

ANTHONY SIVA BALAN THANASAYAN,

President,

The Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association

(PETPOSITIVE),

Kuala Lumpur.

SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT MR SENATOR!

MALAYSIA'S FIRST DISABLED SENATOR Prof Dr Ismail Mohd Salleh, should have shown his support for YB Karpal Singh in Parliament instead of remaining silent.

This was what more than half of readers opined in a PET+BLOGSPOT POLL recently.

They were reacting to the incident in April 30 last month when the DAP leader - in a wheelchair - was ridiculed by two Members of Parliament when they asked why he did not stand up first before addressing the House.

One of the MP is an Independent whilst the other is from Barisan.

The incident infuriated the disabled community - including Petpositive. It led the Society to jointly organise a memorandum handing-over event in Parliament House on the eighth of this month.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, Ismail who is also adviser to the Prime Minister on matters regarding the disabled, commented that what had happened to Karpal was not a disabled issue.

His response has been condemned by Petpositive and the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang, Selangor. Both leaders of the NGOs are longtime wheelchairs users.

"It is a disgrace that of all persons, a disabled senator, should say such a thing," said Anthony Thanasayan, leader of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association.

"Ismail should vacate his position immediately and let someone else represent our needs in Parliament," echoed Francis Siva, president of the self-help support NGO ILTC.

Thirty three percent of the voters thought that Ismail who is also president of the Malaysian Association for the Blind, should speak up more for concerns of disabled people in Malaysia.

And equal number of respondents also called for his immediate resignation over the Karpal issue. They said his silence and lackadaisical attitude proved that he was inept for his position.

Some accused him of being only concerned about the blind.

However, PET+BLOGSPOT has received complaints from a number of blind individuals who say that Ismail has yet to raise any of their issues at all since his appointment as senator on December 19 of last year.

Only two voters thought that Ismail was doing a good job and that he should continue doing what he is currently doing.

PETPOSITIVE SAYS: Well, dear Senator, as they say, you better shape up real soon or get ready to ship out!

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

Weekend View 6: Parliamentarians Speak About MADD's Memo Event

Weekend View 5: Disabled Instigated, Says Ibrahim Ali

QUICK COMMENT:

Yesterday's report in the New Straits Times has Datuk Ibrahim Ali commenting that MADD was instigated by the Democratic Action Party and Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

This is not only utter nonsense but a further insult to all disabled Malaysians in the country. Does the honourable Member of Parliament think that we are all little children with no brains of our own?

He is again trying to absolve himself that he had not insulted the disabled. The best thing for him to do is to take responsibility for his remarks and admit his fault.

If he truly "loves the disabled from the bottom of his heart" as he proclaimed on Thursday, he should have no problems with saying sorry.

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

NEW STRAITS TIMES STORY:

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who was taken to task by a group of disabled in the Parliament lobby on Thursday, is not upset with them.

The independent MP for Pasir Mas met his match when the group in wheelchairs assailed him over his "insensitive" remarks about Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) on April 30.

Ibrahim walked off in a huff after engaging heatedly with members of Malaysians Against Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD).

Yesterday, his ire was aimed at DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat MPs for allegedly dragging the disabled group into a confrontation.

"The disabled group was being taken advantage of by them," he said.
Ibrahim claimed he knew the two parties were behind the move to bring in the disabled group, as several of their MPs were present and milling around during the altercation.

He said his run-in with Karpal was merely on a point of order.

"It was not meant as an affront to the disabled."

Ibrahim said he had raised the point of order on Karpal after the DAP chairman raised a similar point of order seeking clarification from the chair on whether he was a Pas or independent MP.

Karpal said he would leave it to the people to judge Ibrahim's words and actions.

Weekend View Special 2: MADD AT IBRAHIM'S REMARKS - NST

Members of Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled confronting MP Ibrahim Ali at the lobby of Parliament yesterday over his remarks about DAP MP Karpal Singh. Ibrahim says he will never apologise to Karpal. — NST photo by Rosdan Wahid

THE fiery Ibrahim Ali met his match at Parliament lobby yesterday when a group of disabled confronted him over an "insensitive" statement about DAP chairman Karpal Singh.

Datuk Bung Mokhtar, BN MP for Kinabatangan, greeting a MADD member yesterday.

The independent member of parliament for Pasir Mas was jeered by the 30-strong group for asking the speaker on April 30 why the wheel-chair-bound Karpal, the MP for Bukit Gelugor, had not stood to ask questions.

House rules require members to stand while asking questions.

The group, representing Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD), had showed up at the lobby to present a memorandum of protest to MPs.

Led by Anthony Thana-yasan, the group had also wanted an apology from Ibra-him and Datuk Bung Mokhtar, the Barisan Nasional MP for Kinabatangan, for their comments about the disabled.
The effort, however, failed when Ibrahim walked off after heatedly engaging the group for five minutes.

Bung Mokhtar, however, said he was sorry if his comment had hurt the disabled.

"I have disabled in my family and constituency. How can I think of hurting any of you?" he said to cheers.

The drama began about 11.45am when Kelana Jaya DAP MP Loh Gwo Burne told Ibrahim that a group of disabled wanted to meet him.

As Ibrahim approached them, the group asked him to offer the disabled and Karpal an unconditional apology for his "insensitive" statement.

Ibrahim, in an equally angry tone, said: "I will not apologise to Karpal.

"I never meant to offend any of you (looking at disabled). What happened between him and me was something personal."

The atmosphere became more tense when Ibrahim suggested that they were being used.

"I have been fighting for a RM500 monthly allowance for the disabled for a long time."

As they pressed Ibrahim to apologise to Karpal, a flustered Ibrahim walked off without a word.

Ibrahim, met by the New Straits Times, said he would not retract his remarks about Karpal until the latter apologised for calling him a katak (frog).

"I was being patient but he called me a 'katak'. I waited for him to retract his statements but he did not do so."

He said MADD may have been made use of by Pakatan Rakyat MPs who wanted to politicise the matter.

Anthony said the disabled had dignity and could not be bought.

"Any one of the MPs can become disabled one day. So, be sensitive to our condition and please show us some respect."